New image released in London jewel thief hunt

Robbers behind one of Britain's biggest heists ditched initial try, police say

	The two main suspects in one of Britain's biggest jewel heists are seen approaching Graff Diamonds in London on Tuesday. This newly released image was taken two days before jewels with a retail of $65 million were taken from the store. British police have offered a reward of $1.65 million for information leading to the capture of the thieves.
AP

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updated 2:58 p.m. ET Aug. 15, 2009

LONDON - Thieves behind one of Britain's biggest jewel heists abandoned an initial robbery attempt two days before the crime, police said.

The Metropolitan Police on Saturday released security camera images of the suspects outside Graff Diamonds in London's Bond Street two days before the Aug. 6 robbery.

Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace says police believe it was "more than just a practice run, and that they were planning on committing the robbery on Aug. 4."

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Police said they do not know why the heist was postponed.

Two well-dressed men walked into the store Aug. 6 armed with handguns and stole dozens of rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches with a retail value of $65 million.

A $1.65 million reward has been offered for their capture.

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Man arrested in $65 million U.K. heist

The same store lost jewelry worth 23 million pounds, or $38 million, in 2003 when it was robbed by Nebojsa Denic, a Kosovar Serb and a member of the notorious gang of Balkan robbers known as "the Pink Panthers." Denic was caught and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Britain's Press Association news agency quoted an unnamed police source as saying that the Pink Panthers were unlikely to have been behind the latest raid.